He's a whiz of a wiz
and what a whiz he is,
when he gets, sets right down,
and puts his mind to it,
with a trick or two up his sleeve,
he won't hesitate or dissimulate, he'll just do it,
and your eyes you really won't believe.
When his magic hat and he
had a holiday in Hawaii,
where, as he sat beach-side,
a Mai Tai to drink,
asked a local moke,
“Is it all mirrors and smoke?”
He reproachfully replied,
'Now, what do you think?
Have no illusions,
I'm not a prestidigitator,
with sleight of hand,
intended to obfuscate,
I've taken the oath,
my secrets never to reveal,
however, I can say this,
you may speculate.'
Spring arrived with the promise of blooms
But winter didn't seem eager to leave
He had something up his sleeve
So he sent snow and a bit of gloom
Spring was not impressed
So she raised the temps a bit
The snow melted, and he had a fit
He hurried off, so stressed
Spring then spread her blooms everywhere
Each bloom had a different hue
Some were red, some were blue
With many other colors spreading cheer
The Kingdom’s seeds
within his heart
its reign
a heavy stone
The Jester dancing
with the Queen
caught naked
on the throne
His back now turned
the Jack of Spades
a dagger
up his sleeve
A palace coup
in bold relief
his lineage
besieged
The music stops
the Jester laughs
the Queen cries out
for more
The Princess
in the tower
where her subjects
cry out ‘WHORE’
The drawbridge falls
the King is back
his armor
red and stained
The final battle
yet unfought
dark prophecy
— ordained
(The New Room: February, 2025)
The toughest thing about Homer’s Odyssey
Is that it is written in Greek
The trouble with mine it seems
It’s written in words ya can’t speak
For Homer had Satyr’s and Harpies
And trickery tucked up his sleeve
While I, in the midst of confession
Told lies that “No-man” would believe
And yet still I strive for I’m still alive
While Homer has yellowed with age
With all of his writings now high on a shelf
While I pen bad poems on a page
For some demon’s are, and some demon’s ain’t
Deserving of historic note
But all of them alter the truth with their “taint”
So, get off your fat asses and vote
Grandmother Cottonwood’s leaves glistened.
Shaking their silver sides against the breeze.
Glossy and pointedly sculpted, a few listened.
As her main twig rolled up his sleeve.
I had not seen a talking tree since Babes in Toyland.
Expected some marching and a mariachi band.
The woods were unnaturally quiet and stark still.
North wind providing a coldish autumn chill.
Before you know it’s already here
Fillin’ us with hope and cheer
You feel it in your fingers and toes
Strangers smiling and sayin’ hello
To many it’s a sweet surprise a crazy high it’s almost like
A long lost friend they've been waitin’ to see
But for me the feelin’ never fades the magic never goes away
It’s always Christmas to me
No matter what the day may be
Santa’s got a trick up his sleeve
The bells are ringin’ in my ear
Lights are shinin’ love is near
Whether snow is touchin’ down the sun is heatin’ up the ground
Frosty’s gettin’ jolly or the elves are asleep
The holly’s in my hopeful heart long before December starts
It’s always Christmas to me
I don’t have to see it to believe it no no no
It’s wonderfully magical so fantastical why would I let that go
To many it’s a sweet surprise a crazy high it’s almost like
A long lost friend they've been waitin’ to see
But for me the feelin’ never fades the magic never goes away
It’s always Christmas to me
nothing up his sleeve
the healer challenges death...
that we might believe
date>12/03/22
Before you know it’s already here
Fillin’ us with hope and cheer
You feel it in your fingers and toes
Strangers smiling and sayin’ hello
To many it’s a sweet surprise a crazy high it’s almost like
A long lost friend they've been waitin’ to see
But for me the feelin’ never fades the magic never goes away
It’s always Christmas to me
No matter what the day may be
Santa’s got a trick up his sleeve
The bells are ringin’ in my ear
Lights are shinin’ love is near
Whether snow is touchin’ down the sun is heatin’ up the ground
Frosty’s gettin’ jolly or the elves are asleep
The holly’s in my hopeful heart long before December starts
It’s always Christmas to me
I don’t have to see it to believe it no no no
It’s wonderfully magical so fantastical why would I let that go
To many it’s a sweet surprise a crazy high it’s almost like
A long lost friend they've been waitin’ to see
But for me the feelin’ never fades the magic never goes away
It’s always Christmas to me
STOLEN MOMENTS
I curse the tale of that famous Don Juan
He was not so young as we now believe
I’m not so sure he was the only one
With such carnal desires kept up his sleeve
But ageing might mean it’s no longer fun
Yet such temptation offers no reprieve
Perhaps Lord Byron was really inspired
Such thoughts kept him going even when tired
3 Sep 2022
Tom the Cat has some new amazing ideas up his sleeve.
He is constantly outsmarted by Jerry, a mouse who is his peeve.
He has built a mousetrap guaranteed to get this varmint once and for all.
It is camouflaged like leaves, and about sixteen feet tall.
Tom is confident that he will be eating roasted mouse tonight.
He loves the idea of grilling Jerry up; a tasty rodent delicacy delight.
Jerry has outsmarted him for the last time, he is sure of this.
He chases Jerry into the yard, but alas, something goes amiss.
Tom the Cat ends up in the mousetrap and all the mice are laughing.
He is caught in his own slick idea, while the mice lie down for napping.
What the heck! Why do the animators tease and torment him this way?
He is forlorn and angry again for the remainder of another bad day.
How did it all start
Was there really a 'Big Bang'
Or is that just code for
ex nihilo* we sprang
What if there's really a Creator
Who fashioned the world
then Adam and Eve
If He put the snake in the Garden
He sure had some tricks up His sleeve
It's hard to believe man evolved from a single-cell creature
or that he emerged fully grown either, so
Since millions prefer to believe in neither
Let's give this whole topic a breather...
_______________________________________________
* The Latin phrase 'ex nihilo' means 'out of nothing'
I wonder;
why we waste time, we have so little at all,
I wonder;
if there really is a crystal ball.
I wonder;
about things brewing beneath will it erupt?
I wonder;
what becomes of the underdeveloped?
I wonder
how much of life is motivated by inequalities of power,
I wonder;
if there really is an ivory tower.
I wonder;
why emotional pain you feel physical,
I wonder;
why love has to be so cynical.
I wonder;
what a miracle really looks like.
I wonder;
why they call us a dyke.
I wonder;
if I will ever grow up,
I wonder;
if I will drink from the golden cup.
I wonder;
what makes a person hate,
I wonder;
why you would tempt the hand of fate.
I wonder;
why I'm angry my whole life,
I wonder;
why I miss my wife.
I wonder;
why love makes it hard to breathe,
I wonder;
if my opponent has something up his sleeve.
I wonder;
if I'm living or slowly dying,
I wonder;
why people give up without even trying.
TURBO1904
I have lost my old muse.
He's buzzed off, my brain's unused
He left without a bye your leave
With abundant poetry up his sleeve
I am old and in despair.
Without my muse, I'll get nowhere.
Has he left because he could see
I have no poetry left in me.
Perhaps my old muse is tired too.
Of trying to inspire me with something new
To write about with passion and fire
So I could obtain my heart's desire
To scribe a poem that has worth
To be read by many
When I leave this earth
Old girl and muse
I cannot see
A lasting poem for eternity
Never mind, my trusty friend
Keep buzzing around until my end.
Long ago and way up north
Further than you can ever believe
Joey, a jaunty little fellow appeared
Folks wondered what was up his sleeve
Joey was unusual to say the least
Had lotsa neat things on his mind
No building forts or throwing snowballs
Was a kid of a different kind
Went straight to visit Santa one day
Brought him happy holiday joy
When Joey showed him his unique treasure
Santa hugged this unusual little boy
For what little Joey brought with him
Made Santa's heart dance with glee
The magnificent sight in front of Santa
Was a Technicolor Christmas Tree
They placed it in the centre of town
Folks sang and all joined hands
As they danced around this colourful tree
Bells rang out all o'er the land
There's a moral to this charming tale
Don't brush these wee kiddies aside
They're our future come hell or high water
So treat these young people with pride
Forbidden fruit they had eaten
At the bidding of the snake
New ashamed that they were naked
They had to cover up, for Heaven's sake
"Adam, lets sew ourselves some fig-leaves."
"Sounds good to me, dear Eve."
God paid them no attention
Had he a trick up His sleeve?
Instead of random eavesdropping
The Lord did something eye-popping
He searched for Adam as if He had no clue
Then cried out, "Man, where are you?!"
Did the All-Seeing not know Man's whereabouts?
Did He need resort to a primal shout?...
Within God's question lies a lesson
to which some choose to adhere
God does not want man to eavesdrop
~ Do you hear?
December 11, 2019
Listening In Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Julia Ward
Sub Categories
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.